Filippo Brunelleschi completed the dome of Florence Cathedral in 1436.
The cathedral’s huge crossing had remained open for decades because builders lacked a practical way to span it. Brunelleschi won the competition to design the solution and developed a double-shell dome supported by ribs and innovative construction methods. The inner and outer shells helped reduce weight while preserving strength.
The dome was built without the conventional temporary wooden centering that would have supported the masonry from below. Its construction transformed Brunelleschi into one of the Renaissance’s defining architects and engineers. The lantern at the top was completed after his death, based on his design. The cathedral itself is formally known as Santa Maria del Fiore, or Saint Mary of the Flower.